2008 General Reports

[Sperto]

Duty Free, GIG.
http://www.dutyfreedufry.com.br/DutyFree/default.asp

They have quite a few good deals on vodka and whisky.

[Java Man]

what airport is that? I go through GRU and never seen such a checked bag x-ray. I see the plane container arriving at the carrousel and being offloaded directly on the delivery belt. All straight, no diversion to the container from the plane to the carrousel
Similarly never been scanned on carry-on luggage...
No matter if arriving from USA or Europe or wherever.
There is the normal security check of carry on bags if you take a connecting flight on arrival in GRU.
Up to a few years ago there was the "traffic light" system: you push a button: if it is green you go, if it is red, each of your bags are manually checked in your presence. That's pretty much it.
Now they just random check and the decision is casual and left to the customs inspector' feelings.

That be GIG. They did it to me the last few trips. I think they started doing it early 2008.

[TheCaliforniaKid]

Close. But no cigar. Npg and Gdp are the noises a garota makes when she swallows.

LOL. Nice one. I think I've heard GDP before.

P.S. : Thecaliforniakid, I am in the Xmas spirit, so I'll help out: GDP = Garota de Programa, literally "Program Girl", meaning hooker. The term of choice to refer to Brazilian prostitutes.

Thanks man. Merry XMas to you too. I found the abbreviations page. Like I said, I'm a newb.

[BionicMan]

......One important note. Every bag that comes of an international flight is Xray'd. If they detect an unusually large quantity of anything in your bag it will be pulled off the line and will be placed at the inspection area. .......
One new procedure they have just introduced is to scan all your carry on luggage as your leave the plain. If you have a large amount of electronics or organic material in your carry on luggage they will open it up and inspect it. They still don't body scan you at this point, hence you can just fill your pockets with a small camera etc.
....
I believe there are companies developing new technology now that can scan you as you are walking anywhere in a secure area. This new technology will be introduced in England this year. It is expensive, but one day will be introduced to even developing countries like Brazil in the future. Hence it is just a matter of time before all our liberties will disappear at any secure areas.

what airport is that? I go through GRU and never seen such a checked bag x-ray. I see the plane container arriving at the carrousel and being offloaded directly on the delivery belt. All straight, no diversion to the container from the plane to the carrousel
Similarly never been scanned on carry-on luggage...
No matter if arriving from USA or Europe or wherever.
There is the normal security check of carry on bags if you take a connecting flight on arrival in GRU.
Up to a few years ago there was the "traffic light" system: you push a button: if it is green you go, if it is red, each of your bags are manually checked in your presence. That's pretty much it.
Now they just random check and the decision is casual and left to the customs inspector' feelings.

[Sperto]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tamjS...e=channel_page

[Bubba Boy]

Yes Brazilians are like that, you never trust them to come through with something until the money is in your hands. As for local "friends", the notion does not exist, any local "friend" will try and screw you at the drop of a hat when it comes to money. I discovered that very quickly. The only way to sell goods like that was through mercadolivre.com.br . Get a local student to setup up an account and take it from there. For big ticket items like notebooks, only accept buyers with nearly 100% points. Having said this, the window is shut for this, bad economy, devalued real and a flood of every conceivably good smuggled from Paraguay tax free was the end.

[Bravo]

Damn..............that must have been a great BBBJ!!!! Shit, an Ipod. I've taken a laptop a few times, but it's been shipped to me in the states from ebay, then I carry it down with me. Bringing the item down, either I get the cash or just keep the item. And I only make a couple of $100 bucks.

LOL. It happened like 3 or 4 times. I would get people (these are regular people not GDPs) who would swear and promise till the cows came home that they would pay me the agreed price, if I would bring the elctronics down. All 3 people decided once I came back, that I should charge them the same exact amount that I had paid for the item.

They would argue "You only paid 150 dollars for it, why are you charging me $250?". I would tell them "Because if you had to pay for it here, it would cost you $400!! You are getting a great deal!!"

I wish I did have a way to defer the costs of my trip, I would no problem bringing down laptops, cameras and Ipods!!

[Ryjerrob]

BubbaBoy, I wish I had been able to take advantage of bringing in laptops like you did. I had a few brasilians ask me to bring electronics down to Rio ( I thought it would be great becase it would defer the cost of my plane tickets. I could give them a 30-40% dicount and still make a profit.) Unfortunately, every single brasilian tried to change the terms of the deal once i arrived. They wanted to pay me less money or claimed that I should sell them the item, for the same amount I payed for it.

I thought I could fix things by demanding the money upfront before I headed back to the states. But nobody wanted to give me the money upfront, so I always had to trust that they would pay me on my return with the merchandise.

Luckily, I was never taken for anything big, like a computer or laptop. It was stuff like digital cameras or ipods. A few times, I ran around trying to find someone to buy my electronics before my trip was over, many times they thing winded up being a present to my best performing gdp.

Damn..............that must have been a great BBBJ!!!! Shit, an Ipod. I've taken a laptop a few times, but it's been shipped to me in the states from ebay, then I carry it down with me. Bringing the item down, either I get the cash or just keep the item. And I only make a couple of $100 bucks.

[Bravo]

BubbaBoy, I wish I had been able to take advantage of bringing in laptops like you did. I had a few brasilians ask me to bring electronics down to Rio ( I thought it would be great becase it would defer the cost of my plane tickets. I could give them a 30-40% dicount and still make a profit.) Unfortunately, every single brasilian tried to change the terms of the deal once i arrived. They wanted to pay me less money or claimed that I should sell them the item, for the same amount I payed for it.

I thought I could fix things by demanding the money upfront before I headed back to the states. But nobody wanted to give me the money upfront, so I always had to trust that they would pay me on my return with the merchandise.

Luckily, I was never taken for anything big, like a computer or laptop. It was stuff like digital cameras or ipods. A few times, I ran around trying to find someone to buy my electronics before my trip was over, many times they thing winded up being a present to my best performing gdp.

[Ryjerrob]

Viação Cometa.
http://www.viacaocometa.com.br

Thanks, I'm planning this 3-4 week blowout, and want to cover all my bases. If I can hit a few other places along the way, great.

ryjer

[Sperto]

Anyone know if there is a bus from Sao Paulo to Curtiba?

Viação Cometa.
http://www.viacaocometa.com.br

[Ryjerrob]

Anyone know if there is a bus from Sao Paulo to Curtiba?

[Bubba Boy]

Is there a tax on gifts over $500? if so, how much? What if it's not declared, whats the fine?

There is a tax of 60% on all goods over $500 that will remain in Brazil. If you don't declare properly then legally you will be taxed 100% on all goods that will remain in Brasil with no free $500 threshold.

If you are a local or if you are caught with an obviously large amount of goods way over the limit they may enforce the above, but for tourists you will be just usually be asked to fill out the form again and pay the 60% tax over the $500 limit. Claim ignorance.

If you use some common sense you should be able to bring into the country goods with a value way over $500 without too much hassle. Just make sure you take the stuff out of the boxes, throw the boxes away and pretend it is your stuff. You also do not get body searched normally nor pass through any body xrays, hence you can put a few Ipods etc in your pockets.

I always bring in my $500 limit of stuff in the box and then usually :- An extra brand new camera, cell phone (iphone), maybe 2 types of ipods, a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, and host of other stuff that I pretend is mine.

I used to bring in a Brand new computer each time, however this is getting tougher all the time. The first thing they do now is look to see how many times you have been to brazil. If you passport has been stamped a lot they are very tough on new computers. If it is a first or second time, you will not be viewed with suspicion as much. I had an argument with the airport dude once for bringing in a brand new computer. Luckily I had loaded all my software on it and it looked like my notebook. It had all my data etc. We argued back and forth for about 30 minutes before he finally got the shits with me and let me pass. He was threatening all types of extra taxes and stuff. I just kept pointing at the declaration form saying as a foreigner I can bring in goods up to the value of $3000 as long as they are taken out of the country. I kept saying this is my computer, it has all my stuff on it, I intend to take it out of the country what is the problem. I also said I won't be paying any excess tax because I am a tourist and I am taking it out again. I finally wore him down. However I believe he achieved his goal, ie I don't bring in brand new computers anymore.

A computer used to be great, you could sell it for enough profit to pay for your ticket and pocket $500.

One important note. Every bag that comes of an international flight is Xray'd. If they detect an unusually large quantity of anything in your bag it will be pulled off the line and will be placed at the inspection area. You will then have to go and open the bag. A large amount of electronic goods, or even more than say 20 bottles of liquids in your bag will trigger this. The trick is not to get your bag pulled off the line for inspection. If you have 2 bags, make sure there is an even amount of stuff in each. If you bag does not get pulled off the line, being a tourist the chance of them selecting you to have you bag opened for inspection will be very little.

One new procedure they have just introduced is to scan all your carry on luggage as your leave the plain. If you have a large amount of electronics or organic material in your carry on luggage they will open it up and inspect it. They still don't body scan you at this point, hence you can just fill your pockets with a small camera etc.

I remember the good old days, maybe 3 years ago. You could pretty much bring anything and being a tourist nothing would get inspected. I used to bring 2 brand new notebooks every trip. Now it is much much stricter.

I believe there are companies developing new technology now that can scan you as you are walking anywhere in a secure area. This new technology will be introduced in England this year. It is expensive, but one day will be introduced to even developing countries like Brazil in the future. Hence it is just a matter of time before all our liberties will disappear at any secure areas.

[El Austriaco]

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=mMM6l2...eature=related

EA

P.S.: The music, of course, is a spoof of Martinho da Vila's hit "Mulheres" (http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=t8xTTCFrAlg)

[El Austriaco]

Animation of the infamous Capitão Nascimento (of "Tropa de Elite" fame) interviewing George Bush and Osama Bin Laden. Pretty good to learn about Brazilian slang. I especially liked "E tu, papai Noel anoréxico de merda"

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=6NPsTG...eature=related

Enjoy, guys!

EA

P.S.: Thecaliforniakid, I am in the Xmas spirit, so I'll help out: GDP = Garota de Programa, literally "Program Girl", meaning hooker. The term of choice to refer to Brazilian prostitutes.